Cave Spring, Georgia, full of legends, ghosts

There’s something spooky about caves. Could be the darkness, the relentless dampness or the threat of spiders and bats. Regardless of logic or explanations, ghost stories abound.

Take Cave Spring, Georgia, which dates back to European settlement in the 1820s and before that, the Creek and Cherokee people who were attracted to its delicious waters (you can literally drink from its source and many people bring jugs to carry it home). 

The historic town 16 miles south of Rome encompasses about 1,200 residents — plus a few who don’t show up on census records. The cave for which the town is named is reported to be haunted. In fact, several structures around the cave and its spring-fed Cedar Creek and neighboring park have full-time occupants as well.

On the day we visited Spring Cave, nothing appeared out of the ordinary but I caught a moving blue orb on the far side of the cave. I tried to remain as still as possible and shoot at the same spot and, at one time, set my camera to a fast shutter speed to capture numerous images in seconds. The blue spot constantly moved. At one point, it disappeared, then reappeared and floated about once more. In the first picture below, a friend saw a face. I saw it too. Do you?

Apparition? Could it have been someone behind me moving and causing a reflection to also move? I even tried to shoot repeatedly when no one was near. But still, you be the judge.

Other haunted spots in Cave Spring, Georgia, include:

The Georgia School for the Deaf, begun in 1846 and still active today, was once used as an infirmary during the Civil War. 

The Cave Spring General Store, where a Native American woman is believed to be buried. Legend has it that a chief named Big Rattling Gourd bit off his wife’s nose because she was unfaithful.

Naturally, in a town with this many legends, there are ghost tours in October. Click here for more information.

Haunted Deep South is written by travel writer Cheré Coen, author of Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana by The History Press. She writes the Viola Valentine paranormal mystery series under the pen name of Cherie Claire.

The Beaver House in Statesboro, Georgia, serves up more than great meals — but stay for their family style dinner!

            Clay Beaver is the fourth generation owner of the Beaver House in Statesboro, Georgia, but those who have come before him refuse to leave the historic home that’s now a restaurant. He claims there are seven ghosts residing in the building.

            “And I have seen every one of them,” Beaver said.

            I was on a tour of Statesboro with a group of fellow travel writers and naturally, being a ghost aficionado, I have to ask about apparitions when I visit a historic home. And I got an earful.

            The one Beaver has seen twice in all her ghostly glory is Annie, who died at five years old from pneumonia after breaking her neck falling from a tree. Beaver sees little Annie in a brown velvet dress.

            “It’s as clear as day,” Beaver said. “It’s so real.”

            The first time happened around 11:30 p.m. one night when Beaver was in the house with a friend. They spotted Annie at the bottom of the stairs, walking past.

            “We took off, running back out the house,” he said with a laugh. “We were scared to death.”

            Two uncles have also appeared, once in a wedding photo looking at each other from two opposing transom windows on the second floor.

            “They’re always together,” Beaver said. “I’m not sure why.”

            Roy Beaver, Clay Beaver’s grandfather, was a large man and he appears to staff and visitors on occasion. Once he was spotted standing in the dining room looking out the window, Beaver explained.

            The builder of the circa-1911, 6600-square-foot house, John Alexander Beaver, also visits, as well as great grandma Nella “dressed to the nines.”

            The Beaver House serves up a mean "Boarding House" family style meal. On the night we visited we were treated to overflowing plates of fried shrimp, roast beef, mac and cheese, greens, mashed potatoes, biscuits and much more. They also serve a Low Country Boil on weekends and plenty of other delicious dishes.

            Because the old Victorian home is expansive and romantic, the Beaver House hosts numerous weddings over the years. But wedding photographers come home with more than they bargained for — one photo sported a child, a Barbie Doll and a tricycle by the front door, only it wasn’t of this world!

            Want to know more? The Beaver House web site has a page of ghostly tales.

Cheré Coen is an award-winning travel writer specializing in the Deep South. She is the author of "Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History," "Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana" and "Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana" and co-author of "Magic's in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets." She also writes Louisiana romances under Cherie Claire, including "A Cajun Dream" and "The Letter." Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.

Gold and ghosts to be found in Dahlonega, Georgia

            I love a good ghost story so imagine my joy upon learning that Dahlonega, Georgia, has more than it’s fair share.

            We’re talking way more.           

            The town dates back to the Cherokees, who settled in northern Georgia’s rolling hills, mountains and peaceful streams and lakes. When gold was discovered in 1828, however, the area exploded with early American settlers who pushed the Native Americans west. With its newfound prosperity to early European-American settlers, Dahlonega became the site of a courthouse and some rip-roaring saloons and hotels.

            Even though 80 percent of the Georgia gold remains inside those mountains, the gold Dahlonega residents now find is tourism. The town is only one and a half hours from Atlanta and boasts numerous bed and breakfasts, mountain cabins and upscale hotels. It’s one of Georgia’s hot spots to get married, the area’s wineries are taking off and it’s an outdoors paradise, with great hiking and biking through the mountains and tubing and canoeing on the Chestatee and Etowah rivers.

            It’s also very haunted.

            Some say it’s because there’s gold still in those hills, some of the purest in the world, along with quartz, stones that attract paranormal activity.

            When I visited I picked up “Dahlonega Haunts: Ghostly Adventures in a GeorgiaMountain Town” by Amy Blackmarr, a collection of more than two dozen haunted sites. The book’s required reading for those ghost haunting in Dahlonega. Blackmarr discusses spirits lingering in places such as the Lumpkin County Courthouse in the center of town, the Crisson Gold Mine, the Holly Theater, several restaurants and stores (like the Picnic Cafe, shown) and the historic Mount Hope Cemetery.

            There are tours to show you the paranormal hotspots, such as Dahlonega Ghost Walk - Historic Hauntings Tour and Haunted Dahlonega: Spirits, Legends & Lore, the latter conducted by the Friends of the Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site (which is located within the haunted courthouse).

Lumpkin County Courthouse

            Some of the stories you’ll hear are the Civil War soldiers playing cards in Mount Hope Cemetery, a ghostly little girl in a long white dress who plays in rooms in the Historic District and ghosts who rattle dishes and pans in restaurants on the Public Square.  

             Here’s a story the tourism folks gave me: “A visitor to The Crimson Moon Café once left their young daughter in an upstairs room for a few minutes, only to come back and find her playing hide and seek. ‘With whom?’ asked the parent. ‘Don’t you see that little girl in the white dress over there?’ answered the daughter.”

             The Dahlonega Ghost Walk - Historic Hauntings Tour visits 14 locations by tour guide and founder Jeremy Sharp, weaving through streets, back alleys, historic buildings and the historically significant cemetery. Sharp has studied Dahlonega’s history and has also worked with paranormal researchers to document sightings.

             The Friends of the Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site, a not-for-profit organization, is also conducting fun, interactive tours with a new narrative being written by local author Trisha Slay, who is working on a paranormal mystery novel. “Haunted Dahlonega: Spirits, Legends & Lore” explains why Dahlonega is such a hotbed of activity, includes Cherokee folktales and explores local mysteries and benevolent hauntings. 

             Both tours are suitable for adults and children.

             Need more ghost fodder? How about in your accommodations? Try the elegant Park Place Hotel or the Hall House Hotel that dates back to 1881 and is the second oldest building on Dahlonega's historic square.

            

Information:

Dahlonega Ghost Walk - Historic Hauntings Tour

8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, August through November

Tickets are adults $10, children $5, available at The Attic Upstairs, 19 East Main St. Call 706-482-8795 or email dahlonegawalkingtours@gmail.com.

Tour is approximately 1.3 miles long on paved, designated walkways, with the exception of Mount Hope Cemetery, and ends in front of the Visitors Center, 13 South Park St.

Haunted Dahlonega: Spirits, Legends & Lore, conducted by the Friends of the Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site

7 p.m. Saturdays on Sept. 6, 13 and 20; Oct. 4, 11 and 25; Nov. 1

Tickets $10, benefit the Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site and are available at the Dahlonega Gold Museum. Visit www.facebook.com/FODGM or call 706-864-2257. 

For a self-guided tour, visit http://dahlonega.org/tours-a-scenic-drives-2/ghost-tours. For tourism information on Dahlonega, visit www.dahlonega.org.

Cheré Coen is an award-winning travel writer specializing in the Deep South. She is the author of "Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History," "Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana" and "Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana" and co-author of "Magic's in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets." She also writes Louisiana romances under Cherie Claire, including "A Cajun Dream" and "The Letter." Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.